


Perks

by Nadat



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-19
Updated: 2013-03-19
Packaged: 2017-12-05 20:46:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/727750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nadat/pseuds/Nadat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From a prompt on the kinkmeme - "I'd like to see something where the gang is about to get into a fight, but the other side backs down once someone announces, "Hey, ain't that the healer with them?"" - Whole party is present.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Perks

There, just up ahead. At last. Anders can see the staircase that leads to the cellars of Hawke’s estate. It's about time. They’ve just come from a full day of working in the tunnels underneath Darktown, dealing with lyrium smugglers and a few wayward Templars, and it will be very nice to get everyone up into Hightown. Maybe Leandra will even let them all crash in the estate tonight. A bath will be nice, a bed even nicer.

“Do you think Bodahn’s still got dinner on the table, Hawke? Oh, if you don’t mind. I mean, I have food at home, and I don’t have to eat at your place, I was just thinking out loud because I can see your door and--”

“I’m sure he does, Merrill.” Hawke cuts her off gently. It's a mark of how tired he was that he doesn't make some sort of crack about her priorities or something like that.

Before Anders can fill the gap himself, he hears the sound of a footfall behind them, of a group gathering, and turns. The others in the party do too, all used to being attacked at every turn. Sure enough, it’s one of the Darktown gangs, toughs with little to do except cause headaches for everyone around them as they try to steal what small amounts they can.

“Your money or your lives,” says the ringleader.

“Or neither,” Fenris replies.

“Is that the best you can do?” Varric asks, shouldering Bianca. “I like my threats to come with more originality. Your boots or your balls, at the very least.”

“Your boots or your booty,” Isabela helps.

“But the boots can be booty, especially yours, because they’re so--”

“Enough. You’re neither of you as witty as you think.” There’s no heat in Aveline’s voice as she joins in on cutting Merrill off, drawing her sword and eying the group.

Anders knows they can take them. It will be easy. After all, the idiots decided to attack when Hawke was with everyone. But he’s tired and really doesn’t want to bother, especially when beating down this lot means he probably has to heal them tomorrow. Then again, it’s not like he has much of a choice. “This is ridiculous,” he mutters.

The ringleader stops in the middle of drawing out his daggers, looking directly at Anders. “...Aren’t you...” He trails off. 

Another one of the thugs’ eyes widen. “It’s the healer! The lantern one! Colm, didn’t he heal your mum last week?”

“He did _something_ with Colm’s mum last week,” mutters a voice from the rear of the gang. 

The leader colors as he looks at his followers. “Shut up, Griff.” But he rubs the back of his neck as he returns his gaze to Hawke and friends. “Ah. Sorry about that, healer. We’ll let you go and forget this?”

The looks on the faces around Anders were priceless, and he figured his is pretty close to matching theirs. But, as always, his mouth has a mind of its own, and he steps forward. “No. No, let’s not forget this. Because I’ve healed you too, Colm. And Griff, if I recognize the voice correctly. That’s Cianni, too, isn’t it? You had an arrow in your side last Tuesday that needed getting out. Who got it out? Me. You know what I’m tired of? This. My friends and I, walking through an area, and getting attacked. And then I have to go and patch up the very people we deal with, and I’m quite sick of it. You’ll let us go, we’ll not forget this, and you consider maybe, just maybe, the waylaying business isn’t for you.”

There’s a grunt to the side. Varric is frowning. It’s pretty clear he doesn’t think this is going to go well, and Fenris’ look of amusement as if he may suddenly get to watch a crowd turn on Anders isn’t encouraging. But why stop now, when he’s already doing so poorly?

“Half of you are good enough for the Guard if you would actually show up to work. The other half could be, but you’re too busy catching every disease the prostitutes down here have to offer. And yes, I recognize your faces too. Believe me, I’d much rather look at your faces than at what I have to treat.”

Isabela starts giggling. Sebastian looks rather affronted, and so there’s that, at least. If Anders gets jumped and mauled here, he’s had one tiny victory.

“You want to show gratitude? The Guard’s recruiting, right, Aveline?”

The warrior starts, as if not expecting to be addressed. She nods. “Three days from now.”

Anders nods. “Show up to that. Try. Or, if you’d rather, start waylaying Templars. I’d still have to heal you, but at least it would be good for something.”

Sebastian’s sputtering now, and Aveline’s wincing, and Anders figures that it’s worth it. Especially as the gang members shuffle their feet, looking at each other slightly sheepishly.

“Can we just do the Templar bit?” Colm asks. “Only they’ve got money most of the time, and they like to come down here looking for you, so...”

“So you’d be helping us both. Of course.” Anders is only too happy to agree.

Hawke clears his throat, and Anders looks over in the man’s direction. “The ones that come down here are up to no good, you know.”

“Or they’re serving a warrant,” Aveline says quietly. “There _is_ one on you.”

“Only one?” It’s a heady rush, saving the group singlehandedly, and so Anders’ tongue is still far more loose than it should be. “I would have thought there were at least ten by now.”

“Can we go, healer?” It’s Griff, and the group looks like it wants to melt away. Anders nods, and they leave.

“What’s done is done,” Isabela declares. “Our skin’s intact, and that’s less fighting we have to do for Anders in the future when they try to serve that thing.”

“And we all wind up happy,” Anders adds. “Provided there’s sleep soon. I’d really like sleep.”

Hawke still looks like he has some misgivings, but he shakes his head with a huff of laughter. “Through the cellars, up the stairs, to the table, then we’ll put all of you up for the night. There will be sleep soon.”

“And then the party headed together, sweet thoughts of lullabies crooned by mabari dancing in their head.” Varrick is grinning as they start moving again.

“Mabari dancing. Now that sounds like a nightmare. Why can’t it be cats?”

Merrill holds open the door for them all. “Griffons. Dancing griffons. Oh, there would be a dream.”


End file.
